Universal 20 channel project controller from a Ps2 controller

So you’ve got a really cool project that requires a wireless controller and a ton of different channels. What are you going to do? Are you going to go pick up an expensive RC controller? Nah, you’re going to build your own. This project makes a generic 20 channel controller for your projects by stuffing an SMDuino and an XBee module inside a ps2 controller. Unfortunately you lose the force feedback since you have to remove the motors to make space for the extra components and batteries. You do end up with a decently ergonomic and aesthetically pleasing controller though.

i did one with a chinese made ps2 clone usb game controller. it was a horrible controller, so i spent a couple days bending the circuit boards, and dead bugging in an atmega328p and a cheap ask module. needless to say mine is buggy and hardly ever works. i bet with some software tweaks and a better encoding scheme i could improve it and make it stable, but meh. it sits in my pile of not yet finished projects/salvage junk pile.

I understand there are millions of ps2 controllers out there that can be had cheap. They can be used for a great range of projects. Right now, I am trying to interface one with a TI Launchpad, for an R/C plane.

If you in the Philadelphia area, you can buy them at FIVE_BELOW ( for $5us). That is way cheaper than ordering just the analog joysticks from sparkfun.

There are a couple of reverse engineering projects out there for the protocol also:

That’s actually a PSone DualShock controller, not a PS2 DualShock2. The main functional difference is that DualShock2s have pressure-sensitive buttons and D-pad (except Start, Select, L3, R3, and the “Analog” mode switch) whereas DualShocks have only digital buttons and D-pad, which could actually make for a nice, more advanced hack.